Composite and method for making same

ABSTRACT

A composite toughened against chipping during machining and other operations includes a substrate and a coating layer includes a substrate and a coating layer. The substrate is titanium or titanium alloys. Nano-holes are formed on a surface of the substrate. The coating layer completely fills in the nano-holes and completely covers the surface of the substrate where the nano-holes are not formed. The disclosure further provides a method for making such composite.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to machine-made composite and a method for making the composite.

BACKGROUND

Nano-ceramic film has high hardness. However, applied to a metal surface, it is prone to chipping when subjected to mechanical processing such as CNC machining.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a composite.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the composite shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for making a composite in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiment described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Further, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a composite 10. The composite 10 can be applied to an electronic device, a mechanical device, a car, or the like. The electronic device can be a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

The composite 10 includes a substrate 101 and a coating layer 103.

A material of the substrate 101 can be titanium or titanium alloys. The titanium alloys can be selected from a group consisting of TAD, TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TA4, TA5, TA6, TA7, TA9, TA10, TB2, TB3, TB4, TC1, TC2, TC3, TC4, TC6, TC9, TC10, TC11 and TC12.

Referring to FIG. 2, in present embodiment, nano-holes 1011 are formed on a surface of the substrate 101. The nano-holes 1011 are irregular cavities. Specifically, diameters of the nano-holes 1011 vary in a range from several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers. The shape of the nano-holes 1011 are substantially similar to honeycomb structure.

Referring to FIG. 2, protrusions 1012 accompany the nano-holes 1011. The protrusions 1012 can be formed beside the nano-holes 1011 or in the nano-holes 1011. The protrusions 1012 are irregular. The protrusions 1012 belong to a portion of the substrate 101. In another embodiment, the protrusions 1012 can be formed at portions of the substrate 101 other than the nano-holes 1011.

In present embodiment, the nano-holes 1011 and the protrusions 1012 are formed on the substrate 101 by surface treatment. For example, putting the substrate 101 into a pickling solution, and pickling it at 15-95° C. for 2-30 minutes to form the nano-holes 1011 and the protrusions 1012 on the surface of the substrate 101. The pickling solution includes 1-8% by weight of organic acid, 1-15% by weight of inorganic acid, 0.1-3% by weight of additive, 0.5-4% by weight of hydrogen peroxide, and 83-97% by weight of pure water. The organic acid is one or more of acetic acid, formic acid, and oxalic acid. The inorganic acid is one or more of hydrofluoric acid, sulfamic acid, and nitric acid. The additive is one or more of potassium fluoride, sodium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, and copper sulfate.

The coating layer 103 is formed on the surface of the surface treated substrate 101. The surface of the surface treated substrate 101 includes the surface of the nano-holes 1011 and the surface of the protrusions 1012. In present embodiment, the coating layer 103 is a nanometric ceramic coating layer.

Specifically, an aqueous nanometer ceramic paint is sprayed on the surface of the substrate 101 on which the nano-holes 1011 are formed using an air lance to form the coating layer 103. The aqueous nanometer ceramic paint covers the surface of the substrate 101, and the nano-holes 1011 are completely filled with the aqueous nanometer ceramic pain. The aqueous nanometer ceramic paint enters into the nano-holes 1011 which form a structural anchor, thereby improving the binding force between the coating layer 103 and the substrate 101.

Referring to FIG. 3, the present disclosure discloses a method for making the composite 10, which is described as follows:

At block 201, a substrate 101 is provided. A material of the substrate 101 can be titanium or titanium alloys. The titanium alloys can be selected from a group consisting of TAD, TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TA4, TA5, TA6, TA7, TA9, TA10, TB2, TB3, TB4, TC1, TC2, TC3, TC4, TC6, TC9, TC10, TC11 and TC12.

The substrate 101 is cleaned. In the present embodiment, the cleaning process includes dipping the substrate 101 in a degreasing solution, and then removing the substrate 101 from the degreasing solution and rinsing with pure water to remove dust and oil on the surface of the substrate 101.

At block 203, a pickling solution is provided. In present embodiment, the pickling solution includes 1-8% by weight of organic acid, 1-15% by weight of inorganic acid, 0.1-3% by weight of additive, 0.5-4% by weight of hydrogen peroxide, and 83-97% by weight of pure water. The organic acid is one or more of acetic acid, formic acid and oxalic acid. The inorganic acid is one or more of hydrofluoric acid, sulfamic acid, and nitric acid. The additive is one or more of potassium fluoride, sodium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, and copper sulfate.

At block 205, nano-holes 1011 are formed on the surface of the substrate 101 by surface treatment. Specifically, putting the substrate 101 into the pickling solution, and pickling it at 15-95° C. for 2-30 minutes to form the nano-holes 1011 on the surface of the substrate 101. The nano-holes 1011 are irregular cavities, diameters of the nano-holes 1011 vary in a range from several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers. The shape of the nano-holes 1011 are substantially similar to honeycomb structure.

Further, protrusions 1012 accompany the nano-holes 1011. The protrusions 1012 can be formed beside the nano-holes 1011 or in the nano-holes 101. The protrusions 1012 are irregular. The protrusions 1012 belong to a portion of the substrate 101. In another embodiment, the protrusions 1012 can be formed at portions of the substrate 101 other than the nano-holes 1011.

The surface treated substrate 101 is washed by rinsing the surface of the substrate 101 twice with pure water to remove the pickling solution.

At block 207, a coating layer 103 is formed on the surface of the surface treated substrate 101. The surface of the surface treated substrate 101 includes the surface of the nano-holes 1011 and the surface of the protrusions 1012.

Specifically, an nanometer ceramic paint is sprayed on the surface of the substrate 101 on which the nano-holes 1011 are formed using an air lance to form the coating layer 103. The nanometer ceramic paint covers the surface of the substrate 101, and the nano-holes 1011 are completely filled with the nanometer ceramic paint. The nanometer ceramic paint enters into the nano-holes 1011 which form a structural anchor, thereby improving the binding force between the coating layer 103 and the substrate 101. In present embodiment, the nanometer ceramic paint is aqueous nanometer ceramic paint.

Embodiments according to the present disclosure are described below.

Embodiment 1

The substrate 101 used in present embodiment is a titanium alloys.

The substrate 101 is cleaned. At 50° C., dipping the substrate 101 in a degreasing solution for 1.5 minutes, then removing the substrate 10 from the degreasing solution and rinsing with pure water to remove dust and oil.

A pickling solution is provided. The pickling solution includes 3.7% by weight of sulfamic acid, 1.2% by weight of formic acid, 0.9% by weight of potassium fluoride, 2.1% by weight of hydrogen peroxide, and 92.1% by weight of pure water.

Nano-holes 1011 are formed on the surface of the substrate 101. Specifically, putting the substrate 101 into the pickling solution, and pickling it at room temperature for 19 minutes to form the nano-holes 1011 on the surface of the substrate 101, irregular protrusions 1012 are formed beside the nano-holes 1011 or in the nano-holes 1011.

The surface treater substrate 101 is washed by rinsing the surface of the substrate 101 twice with pure water to remove the pickling solution.

A coating layer 103 is formed on the surface of the substrate 101 with the nano-holes 1011. Specifically, an aqueous nanometer ceramic paint is sprayed on the surface of the substrate 101 on which the nano-holes 1011 are formed using an air lance to form a coating layer 103. The aqueous nanometer ceramic paint covers the surface of the substrate 101, and the nano-holes 1011 are completely filled with the aqueous nanometer ceramic paint.

Test Results:

Adhesion Cross-Cut Test: The Adhesion Cross-Cut Test is used to test the adhesion of the coating layer 103 on the surface of the substrate 101. The Adhesion Cross-Cut Test showed that the coating layer 103 had no lacquer layer peeling off, and the ASTM level reached 5B.

The composite 10 has an improved bonding force between the substrate 101 and the coating layer 103 by forming the nano-holes 1011 on the surface of the substrate 101. The nano-holes 1011 are completely filled with the nanometer ceramic paint which form a structural anchor, thereby improving the bonding force between the coating layer 103 and the substrate 101. The preparation and coating operations are simple, and the ceramic paint used is a water-based paint that is more environmentally friendly. In addition, the preparation of the composite 10 does not need to be implemented in a high temperature environment, and the safety of the operation is also improved.

It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of assembly and function, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A composite comprising: a substrate, wherein a material of the substrate being selected from one of titanium and titanium alloys; nano-holes formed on a surface of the substrate; and a coating layer covers the surface of the substrate, and the nano-holes are filled with the coating layer.
 2. The composite of claim 1, wherein the nano-holes are irregular cavities, diameters of the nano-hole vary in a range from several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers.
 3. The composite of claim 1, wherein the shape of the nano-holes are similar to honeycomb structure.
 4. The composite of claim 1, wherein protrusions accompany the nano-holes, the protrusions are formed beside the nano-holes.
 5. The composite of claim 1, wherein protrusions accompany the nano-holes, the protrusions are formed in the nano-holes.
 6. The composite of claim 1, wherein the titanium alloys can be selected from a group consisting of TAD, TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TA4, TA5, TA6, TA7, TA9, TA10, TB2, TB3, TB4, TC1, TC2, TC3, TC4, TC6, TC9, TC10, TC11 and TC12.
 7. The composite of claim 1, wherein the coating layer is a nanometric ceramic coating layer.
 8. A method for making a composite comprising: providing a substrate, wherein the material of the substrate being selected from one of titanium and titanium alloys; forming nano-holes on a surface of the substrate by surface treatment; forming a coating layer on the surface of the substrate having the nano-holes, the coating layer covers the surface of the substrate, and the nano-holes are filled with the coating layer.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the surface treatment comprises treating the substrate with a pickling solution, the pickling solution comprises 1-8% by weight of organic acid, 1-15% by weight of inorganic acid, 0.1-3% by weight of additive, 0.5-4% by weight of hydrogen peroxide, and 83-97% by weight of pure water.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the organic acid is one or more of acetic acid, formic acid and oxalic acid, the inorganic acid is one or more of hydrofluoric acid, sulfamic acid, and nitric acid, the additive is one or more of potassium fluoride, sodium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, and copper sulfate.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the nano-holes are irregular cavities, diameters of the nano-holes vary in a range from several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the shape of the nano-holes are similar to honeycomb structure.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein protrusions accompany the nano-holes, the protrusions are formed beside the nano-holes.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein protrusions accompany the nano-holes, the protrusions are formed in the nano-holes.
 15. The method of claim 8, wherein the titanium alloys can be selected from a group consisting of TAD, TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TA4, TA5, TA6, TA7, TA9, TA10, TB2, TB3, TB4, TC1, TC2, TC3, TC4, TC6, TC9, TC10, TC11 and TC12.
 16. The method of claim 8, wherein the coating layer is a nanometric ceramic coating layer. 